Cuba is an intriguing and engaging destination for students. With its palm-studded tropical beaches, rows of faded colonial buildings painted in muted candy colours and streets filled with hand painted Socialist murals, ice cream parlours and classic American cars from the 1950s, both the cultural and natural world's combine seamlessly to make this a rewarding destination for educational travel.

Enjoy the cobblestoned streets, quiet plazas and colonial charm of Trinidad, head to Santa Clara for revolutionary history at the famous Ernesto "Che" Guevara Monument and soak up the soul of Santiago De Cuba, one of Cuba's cultural capitals.

Discover the extraordinary scenery of the lush Vinales Valley, with its picturesque villages, oxen-ploughed fields, underground rivers and dramatic rocky outcrops. Surf, dive or sunbathe on white sand beaches, join a cycle journey to explore the lesser-known regions of Cuba at handlebar level, or hike through the spectacular Topes de Collantes, with its exuberant flora, grottoes and waterfalls.

Talk to us about a school group trip to Cuba to suit your budget and needs.

Popular regions in Cuba

Why travel with us

Safety - our number 1 priority

Minimising risk

Our industry leading risk management procedures have become a skill that we continue to refine. Thanks to careful management and thorough consultation with local partners our track record is exemplary.

Service Learning specialists

School Service Learning Community Projects offer a unique way to experience genuine cultural interaction while also providing real tangible benefits to underprivileged communities. Every Service Learning project is guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Quality Services

Trusted accommodations

We only utilise trusted accommodation on a twin-share basis (unless otherwise requested) which we know to be clean, reliable, in a safe location and are regularly inspected by local authorities. Wherever possible, adjoining rooms are provided to ensure that students are provided with adequate supervision.

When camping your group will be provided with all group camping equipment including tents, quality sleeping bags, sleeping mats, eating utensils, kit bags as well as three hearty meals per day prepared by our trained cooks in a hygienic and controlled environment.

Reliable, private internal transport

We only use trusted transport providers and always use private buses. Using private buses not only ensures we can control the safety of the service but it also provides a measure of flexibility in our trips with each group provided vehicles dedicated to their needs. It also means the group is not taking seats away from locals who are in more need of the local services.

Hygienically prepared meals

When trekking, our trained staff and team of cooks provide a hygienic camp as well as fresh, nutritious meals.

Experienced & highly trained local guides

We believe local guides provide the best experience. Their local knowledge is unparalleled in terms of interpreting the natural and cultural environments, outlining the history of a region, engaging local dialogue and also re-arranging services if required.

Many of our local guides have worked for our company for a decade or longer. They are first aid trained, experienced, passionate about their country and we have the utmost confidence in their ability to provide an experience for your school better than any western guide can.

Well thought out, tailored itineraries

If itinerary design was an art form our work would be hanging in galleries around the world. At the very least it is most certainly a science and we have years of destinational experience to ensure your itinerary is safe and achievable.

When it comes to travelling at altitude we always allow ample days to allow for proper acclimatisation as well as to allow for inclement weather.

Testimonials

Testimonials

Important information

Where to Go

Make the most of Cuba’s natural beauty—surf, dive, hike or simply relax on white sand beaches

Grab your camera and soak up the faded beauty of Havana’s diverse architecture

Line up for a scoop at Coppelia – Havana’s socialist “ice cream cathedral”

Head to the baseball stadium to see Cuba’s most beloved sport in action

Take a Spanish lesson and learn a few phrases to help you connect with locals

Experience Cuban culture first hand at one of the country’s vibrant festivals

Weather

Cuba lies within the tropics and its climate is generally hot and moist. Cuba’s climate is moderated by trade winds, which give the country two distinct seasons: a dry season from December to April, and a wet season from May to November. Rains tend to fall during the wet season, although are not confined to these months.

The average annual temperature is around 25-26°C (77-79°F), with little variation between the coolest month (January) and warmest month (August). Temperatures often rise to 32°C (89.6°F) in summer, and higher in the eastern part of the country. Midwinter temperatures can dip to around 10°C (50°F), but rarely go below this.

In Havana, average daily temperatures vary from a minimum of 18.6°C (65.5°F) to a maximum of 25.8°C (78.4°F) in January; to a minimum of 24.1°C (75.4°F) to a maximum of 31.6°C (88.9°F) in August.

Time in Cuba

Cuba is -4 hours behind UTC/GMT

Language

Spanish is Cuba’s primary language. Although the country has no specific Spanish dialects, Cuban Spanish is known to have something of a unique rhythm and intonation owing to the influence of Cuba’s Afro-Caribbean populations.

Haitian Creole is spoken by a significant number of people.

People who work in the tourism industry generally speak English, but usually only very basic English is spoken by others.

Cuban followers of the Santería religion also speak a special language called Lucumí, a dialect of the West African Yoruba language.

Currency

Most purchases are quoted in convertible pesos (CUC$) and nearly everything travellers buy will be in this currency.

We recommend that you take Pounds Sterling or Euros to exchange into Convertible Pesos in Cuba. US Dollars may be exchanged for Convertible Pesos, but a service charge of 10 per cent will be levied.

Euros may be accepted directly in some areas without the need to change into Convertible Pesos.

Money can be changed at your hotel, in exchange bureaux, and at banks. Banking hours tend to be Monday – Friday from 9.00 – 3.00pm.

Most hotels, travel suppliers, and larger restaurants will accept credit card payments (but not credit cards drawn from US banks). All credit card payments will incur a charge. Please check what the charge will be before making your purchase. Usually 3-9% is added to the bill.

ATM machines are few and far between and withdrawals incur approximately 9% charge.

25.00 CUCs is required for departure tax from Cuba.

It is prohibited to enter or leave Cuba carrying Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) currency. Please make sure you have spent or exchanged any remaining CUC prior to passing through immigrations when you leave Cuba. You can do this at the CADECA exchange office at the airport but we recommend you do this before reaching the airport as queues can be long and only a maximum of CUC300 will be exchanged into another currency. Any drinks, snacks, duty free and souvenirs at the airport will need to be paid using a credit card or cash (GBP, CAD, AUD, USD, EUR etc.).

International Dialing Code

+53

Electricity

The standard power source in Cuba is 110v, 60hz AC, although a few hotels operate on 220 volts. It is generally supplied through the American flat 2 pin plugs ( 110v ) Type A or European round 2 pins ( 220v) Type C. You should buy the appropriate adapters before you leave home, as you may not find them overseas. Powercuts are frequent in Cuba so we recommend you carry a torch with you.

Visas

Visas are required for all nationalities visiting Cuba. A tourist card, which is considered a visa for entry for tourism purposes can be obtained from Cuban embassies and consulates. All passengers must hold return air tickets. It is your responsibility to ensure you have all required visas for your trip. Rules and regulations governing the issuance of visas are constantly changing, and vary for different nationalities and you should check visa requirements with your travel agent or relevant consular authority well before travel.

Visa regulations change and you should be prepared for this. If you are stopping over or transiting other countries en-route to your destination, you should also check the visa requirements for that destination. It is your responsibility to obtain the necessary visas.

All other nationalities should check with your nearest embassy or consulate.

Safety

Your safety is our number one concern. Our safety track record is exemplary thanks to careful management and thorough consultation with local partners. Our industry leading risk management procedures have become a skill that we continue to refine. Our leaders in the field are highly trained and have safety as their number one priority. Expert leaders, risk assessments, quality inclusions and your financial security all come standard when you travel with us.

We strongly recommend that all clients take out travel insurance at the time of booking to cover against sickness, accident, loss of baggage, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption, emergency evacuation, cancellations, etc. Insurance information is enclosed with your pre-departure information. Please contact us if you would like to obtain a quote for your trip duration.

We suggest that you consult your doctor, local government inoculation centre or a travel medical specialist in order to get the most current advice regarding vaccination requirements.

Money and valuables should always be stored safely when travelling. Keep your passport with you at all times and do not leave it in your main luggage. You will need it to change money and check into hotels. Where safety deposit boxes are available, we recommend that you use them. Keep jewellery and valuables to a minimum.

Ready to tailor a school trip to Cuba?

Our educational travel experts are ready to help you tailor an itinerary or service learning project in Cuba to suit your school’s needs and budget. Contact us today to receive a free consultation.

Why travel with us

Why travel with us

Why travel with us

Assisted over
14,000 Students Worldwide

Since the 1980's, wehave helped students from around the globe to experience the world's most exciting destinations, allowing them to travel, give, grow.

400+ Service Learning
Programs

Together with students, we have completed over 400 Service Learning programs in developing countries. We will always continue to support causes including social justice, animal welfare, the environment and more.

Fully Customised
School Travel Programs

Want to include service learning, your school curriculum and a physical challenge, or any of the above? Contact us and we can design a program fully catered for your students and budget.

Safety and
Support - Our #1 Priority

Every school receives a detailed risk management plan that is guided by government advisories and the local partners we work with. We never compromise on the safety of your students to reduce the price of the program.

About Us

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World Expeditions hold an Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) no. 4491 issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to www.atol.org.uk/atolcertificate.

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